Vulcanizing unit



J. C. CROWLEY VULCANIZING UNIT March 30, 1937.

Filed Jan. 16, 1956 INVENTOR.

JpH/v LI [Ron/LEV ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 30, 1937 VULCANIZIN G UNIT John C. Crowley, ClevelandHeights, Ohio, as-

signor to The Dill Manufacturing Company,

I Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 16, 1936,Serial No. 59,438

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an electrical vulcanizer and particularly toan electrical vulcanizer for vulcanizing patches upon rubber articles,such as tire tubes, rubber balls, bags and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an electrical vulcanizer whichcan be manufactured and sold at a relatively low cost and which can beeconomically used by the purchaser. Another object is to provide anelectrical vulcanizer comprising apart which contains the heatingelement and which can be used repeatedly, together with a part carryingthe patch and forming the vulcanizing pad and which is very simple andinexpensive and can be thrown away after use, wherefore the first namedpart of the vulcanizer together with a number of the second named partsthereof can be packaged and sold to the purchasing public.

A further object is to provide an electrical vulcanizer, as specifiedabove, and wherein is embodied improved means for preventing the heat ofvulcanization exceeding a predetermined temperature and, therefore,eliminating danger of injuring the article to which the patch is beingvulcanized.

Another object is to provide an electrical vulcanizer which is simple inconstruction, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which can beeasily used for vulcanizing rubber patches upon rubber articles.

Further and additional objects and advantages not referred to above willbecome apparent hereinafter during the following detailed description ofan embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing,

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the electrical vulcanizer embodyingthe present invention, the rubber article to which the patch is beingvulcanized being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one of the parts or members of theelectrical vulcanizer.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View on an enlarged scale of the part ormember shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on a reduced scale and is takensubstantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of thearrows.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 ofFig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of another part of. thevulcanizer, namely, the vulcanizing and patch carrying pad.

Fig, 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified form of theinvention from that previously illustrated, and Fig. 8 is a fragmentarytop plan View of the device shown in Fig. 7.

The electrical vulcanizer comprises a suitable c-shaped member ID, onearm of which is providedywith an enlarged fiat article supporting plateor table II, while the other arm of the member H} has at its end andabove the plate I I a boss l2 which is provided with a threaded bore inwhich is screwed a clamping bolt l3 carrying at its upper end a wingoperating handle M. The lower end of the clamping bolt I3 is providedwith a reduced portion which engages in a hollow rivet I5 formedintegral with a metal plate IE and extending centrally therefrom througha second metal plate IT.

The metal plates l 6 and I1, with the parts that are held in assembledrelationship between said plates and now to be described, comprise onepart or member of the electrical vulcanizer. The plate ll carries abinding post H! which is electrically insulated from the plate andextends therethrough and through an insulating disk IQ of asbestos orother suitable material located below the plate H as clearly shown inFig. 3. The plate I! is also provided with a second binding post 20which is electrically connected with the plate. A disk 2| of insulatingmaterial, such as asbestos, is located above the plate I6, while betweenthe insulating disks l9 and 2! there is arranged a coiled electricalresistance element 22, one end of which is connected to the post 18, asclearly shown in Fig. 4, while the opposite, end of the element issuitably connected to an arcuate contact finger 23, which has its endextending over a recess Zia cut in the circumference of the insulatingdisk 2|. The plate I6 is arcuately slitted inwardly of its circumferenceto provide a spring contact finger 24, the free end of which, as shownin Fig. 4, extends below the recess 2| a of the disk 2| and the free endof the finger Z3. It will be seen that when the contact finger-24 ispressed upwardly its end will be free to engage the end of the contactfinger 23, at which time there is a complete electrical circuit throughthe part or member, which circuit includes the binding post. iii, theelectrical resistance element 22, contact fingers 23 and 24, plate I6,rivet l5, plate ii and binding post 20.

:The other partor member of the vulcanizer comprises a flat metal disk25 which carries on its underside the patch 26 which is to be vulcanizedto the article, see Fig. 6.

The disk is properly positioned with respect to the member or parthereinbefore described by means of a plurality of upstanding lugs 21bent up from the circumference of the disk, one or more of said lugsbeing of a difierent size from the remainder of the lugs, wherefore whenthe disk is positioned against the plate l6 'it is necessary to locatethe proper lugs 21 in the proper recesses 21a formed in the plate IT.The reason that the disk 25 must be located accurately with respect tothe other part of the vulcanizer will now be explained. The disk 25 isprovided with a post or rivet 28 formed of fusible solder or otherfusible material. The disk 25 is provided on opposite sides of one ofthe lugs 2'5 with integral hooked arms 29 in which is secured a wirespring 30 having adjacent its free end an upwardly extending hump 30aand said free end of the spring is engaged behind the post or rivet 28.The hump 30a of the spring when the parts are assembled and pressedtogether engages the free end of the contact finger 24 and overcomes theresilience of the same and presses it against the contact finger 23, sothat the complete circuit through the first described part of thevulcanizer is established as previously referred to. I

The binding posts I8 and 20 are connected to suitable conductors 3i and32 which, in turn, may be connected by means of clamps 33 or othersuitable means to the post terminals of a battery, as represented by theconductors 34 and 35 in Fig. 1, if the vulcanizer is being used wherethere is no commercial current available, as for example, in vulcanizingpatches upon tire tubes while on the road, or the conductors 3| and 32can be connected to a suitable transformer if commercial current isbeing employed.

The article 36 to which the patch 26 is to be vulcanized is positionedon the table II of the member ID, and then the vulcanizer, comprisingthe parts previously described is positioned upon the article with thepatch in the proper location thereon. The clamping screw I3 is nowturned down to press the two parts or members of the vulcanizer togetherand to cause the patch to engage the article under pressure. At thistime the hump 30a of the spring 30 has forced the end of the springcontact finger 24 which is integral with the plate l6 into engagementwith the contact finger 23, wherefore when the vulcanizer is connectedto a source of electrical energy a complete circuit for the current isestablished through the binding post 13, resistance element 22', contactfingers 23, 24 and the plates "5 and I1 and the binding post 20. Theresistance element consequently heats up and raises the temperature ofthe plate [6 to a degree such that the patch 26 is vulcanized to thearticle 36.

It is desirable that excessive heat be avoided because of itsdeleterious efiect upon the article, and such excessive heat isadequately guarded against in the vulcanizer, as will now be explained.

If during the vulcanizing operation the heat of the plate 25 shouldexceed a predetermined degree the post or rivet 28 which, as has beenstated, is constructed of fusible material, will fuse and then thespring rod or wire 30 is free to spring outwardly and the hump 30a ismoved out of engagement with the end of the contact finger 24. When thishas taken place the contact finger, due to its inherent resilience,moves toward the position shown in Fig. 3 and out of contact with theend of the contact finger 23, thusbreaking the circuit through theresistance element,

It will be seen that the part or member of the vulcanizer formed by thedisk 25 and constituting the vulcanizing pad which carries the patch canbe very economically manufactured, inasmuch as it is simply a sheetmetal disk stamping having the fusible post 28 and wire 30 and containsno expensive parts such as a resistance element or other parts. In viewof this fact after each use of the vulcanizer the vulcanizing pad ordisk 25 may be thrown away, and when the vulcanizer is again used a newdisk or pad 25 may be employed.

This arrangement possesses decided advantages in the manufacture andsale of a vulcanizer of this type, inasmuch as the device can bepackaged and distributed by including in the package the resistanceelement carrying member of the vulcanizer and a number of thevulcanizing pads or disks 25, thus providing for a vulcanizer which isrelatively inexpensive for the purposes for which it is used and whichis provided with destructible means for interrupting the circuit throughthe resistance element when a predetermined temperature has beenreached.

In the modified form shown in Figs. '7 and 8 the part carrying theelectrical heating element corresponds to the plates l6 and I1 togetherwith the elements associated therewith, while the vulcanizing padcorresponds to the pad 25 previously described. However, the two partsof the device are each provided with central openings which when theparts are assembled are in alignment and are of such size that a valvestem may extend therethrough. This device, therefore, can be used tovulcanize the rubber bases of valve stems, such as rubber stems or stemshaving rubber or cord fabric bases, to the inner tubes of tires.Pressure is applied to the parts of the device in any desired manner, asfor example, by means of an arm 31 having at its outer end a forkedportion 38 which straddles the valve'stem and bears upon the plate ll.An adjusting or clamp ing member 39 extending through the arm and havinga spring 40 arranged thereon and engaging the underside of the arm canbe employed to move the arm downwardly into clamping or holdingengagement with the plate l'l.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustratedand described herein, it should be understood that the invention issusceptible of various modifications and adaptations within the scope ofthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A vulcanizing device adapted to be used with but readily separablefrom a suitable clamping means comprising a pair of cooperatingsuperimposed separable members, one of which is adapted to have pressureapplied thereto by the clamping means and the other of which is providedwith a vulcanizing patch for engagement with a rubber article, anelectrical resistance element carried by said first named member whichwhen energized creates the heatv of vulcanization, and cooperating meanscarried by said members and coacting automatically when said members arearranged in the clamping means in superimposed relationship and pressureis applied to the first named member by said clamping means to enable anelectrical circuit to be completed through said resistance element.

2. A vulcanizing device adapted to be used with but readily separablefrom a suitable clamping means and comprising a pair of cooperatingsuperimposed separable members, one of which is adapted to have pressureapplied thereto by the clamping means and the other of which is asubstantially flat disk provided with a vulcanizing patch for engagementwith a rubber article, a resistance element carried by said first namedmember which when energized creates the heat of vulcanization, andcooperating means carried by said members and coacting automaticallywhen said members are arranged in the clamping means in superimposedrelationship and pressure is applied to the first named member by saidclamping means to enable an electrical circuit to be completed throughsaid resistance element.

3. A vulcanizing device comprising a pair of cooperating superimposedmembers, one of said members being adapted to have pressure appliedthereto by a suitable clamping means and provided with an electricalresistance element adapted to be energized to create the heat ofvulcanization, the other of said members being separable from said firstnamed member and said'clamping means and adapted to carry a vulcanizingpatch for engagement with a rubber article, and fusible means carried bysaid last named member for controlling the electrical circuit throughthe resistance element carried by the first named member and which fusesat a predetermined temperature whereby said last named member isdestroyed by use and may be discarded following the vulcanizationprocess.

4. A vulcanizing device adapted to be used with but readily separablefrom a suitable clamping means and comprising a pair of cooperatingsuperimposed separable members, one of which is adapted to have pressureapplied thereto by the clamping means and the other of which is providedwith a vulcanizing patch for engagement with a rubber article, aresistance element carried by said first named member which whenenergized creates the heat of vulcanization, and cooperating meanscarried by said members and coacting automatically when said members arearranged in the clamping means in superimposed relationship and pressureis applied to the first named member by said clamping means to enable anelectrical circuit to be completed through said resistance element, themeans which is carried by the second named member being fusible at apredetermined temperature whereby the circuit through the resistanceelement carried by the first named member will be automatically brokenwhen said second named member and said means reaches said predeterminedtemperature.

5. A vulcanizing device comprising a pair of cooperating superimposedmembers, one of said members being adapted to have pressure appliedthereto by a suitable clamping means and being provided with anelectrical resistance element, said member also being provided withnormally separated contact fingers arranged in the circuit through saidresistance element and adapted to be brought into engagement to completesaid circuit, the other of said members being separable from said firstnamed member and said clamping means and adapted to carry a vulcanizingpatch in engagement with a rubber article, and means carried by saidsecond named member and acting when said members are arranged insuperimposed relationship and pressure applied thereto to move intoengagement said normally separated contact fingers carried by the firstnamed member.

6. A vulcanizing device comprising a pair of cooperating superimposedmembers, one of said members being adapted to have pressure appliedthereto by a suitable clamping means and being provided with anelectrical resistance element, said member also being provided withnormally separated contact fingers arranged in the circuit through saidresistance element and adapted to be brought into engagement to completesaid circuit, the other of said members being separable from said firstnamed member and said clamping means and adapted to carry a vulcanizingpatch in engagement with a rubber article, and means carried by saidsecond named member and acting when said members are arranged insuperimposed relationship and pressure applied thereto to move intoengagement said normally separated contact fingers carried by the firstnamed member, said means including a post which fuses at a predeterminedtemperature whereby the circuit through the resistance element is brokenand said second named member is destroyed by use and may be discardedfollowing the vulcanization process.

'7. A vulcanizing device adapted to be used with but readily separablefrom a suitable clamping means and comprising a pair of cooperatingsuperimposed separable members provided with aligned centrally disposedopenings through which a valve stem can extend, one of said membersbeing adapted to have pressure applied thereto by the clamping means andbeing provided with a resistance element which when energized createsthe heat of vulcanization, the other of said members being adapted toengage the vulcanizing patch which is to be vulcanized to a rubberarticle, and cooperating means carried by said members and coactingautomatically When said members are arranged in the clamping means insuperimposed relationship and pressure is applied to the first member bysaid clamping means to enable an electrical circuit to be completedthrough said resistance element.

JOHN C. CROWLEY.

